The retirement of Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) from the upper chamber has created an opening that is expected to generate a fierce battle for a rare open Senate seat in Maryland. Cardin announced in a video to his supporters on Monday that he would not seek a fourth term in the Senate, saying “it’s time” for him to call it quits after what will be a 58-year legislative career. It is believed that whoever wins the seat could remain in office for decades, just as only five people have represented Maryland in the upper chamber over the past 35 years.
Democratic sources on Monday indicated that three possible candidates lead the pack of contenders to replace Cardin: Reps. David Trone (D-Md.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D). “Those are the big ones I’ve heard,” one Democratic source told The Hill. The same source also added that Alsobrooks has been positioning herself more than anyone else to replace the longtime Senate Democrat. “I’ve heard Trone and Alsobrooks’ names floated,” another Democratic source told The Hill.
Alsobrooks, considered a rising Democratic star in the state, declined to run for governor in 2022 and instead won a second term to lead the second-largest county in the state. At the time, she told The Washington Post that there “will be opportunities to serve on a higher level” in the future. According to Politico, Alsobrooks has already hired David Chase to manage her run. Chase served as campaign manager for former Rep. Tim Ryan’s (D-Ohio) 2022 bid for the Senate.
A person close to Trone told The Hill that the congressman’s team has “said in the past that we’re seriously considering running, we have a record to run on,” adding “Congressman Trone would be happy to serve Maryland, you know, in the U.S. Senate.” Trone is expected to be formidable in a statewide campaign due in part to his wealth. The founder of Total Wine & More, Trone has dumped millions of dollars into his past congressional campaigns. According to Open Secrets, Trone’s net worth is between $12 million and $33 million. Trone’s team has already hired Don Morocco as campaign manager. The person close to the congressman said Morocco was brought on “to suss out really what the climate was gonna be.”
If Raskin and Trone have any interest in a Senate run, they didn’t show their cards on Monday. Shortly after the Cardin news went public, both House members released statements lauding the Maryland Democrat’s tenure without any reference to the heated race that will likely take place in Old Line State. Raskin said in February that he would be open to a run but has been battling large B-cell lymphoma since late last year. He announced late last week that his cancer is in remission.
Former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, declined to rule out a possible Senate campaign on Monday. “I do think now is the time to only celebrate Ben, his truly magnificent career, and his wonderful partner in all of this Myrna — and not the time to talk politics,” Delaney told The Hill when asked about his interest in a bid.
On the GOP side, the list of viable contenders is really boiled down to one name: former Gov. Larry Hogan (R). Hogan, the former two-term governor, was heavily recruited by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to take on Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in 2022, but he passed on a bid, having indicated that he was not cut out for the job. This left John feeling disappointed, but he knew that he couldn’t give up that easily. He decided to take some time to reflect on what had happened and think about his next steps.
During this reflection period, John realized that he had been too focused on just one opportunity and that he needed to widen his search. He decided to expand his job search to include other fields and industries that he had not previously considered.
John also took the time to update his resume and cover letter, highlighting his skills and accomplishments more effectively. He reached out to his professional network and asked for their support and advice in finding a new job.
After a few weeks of searching and applying, John received a call for an interview from a company in a completely different industry. He was initially hesitant, but decided to give it a shot.
The interview went well, and John was offered the job a few days later. He was surprised to find that the work was challenging, but also very rewarding. The new job offered him the chance to learn new skills and grow professionally in ways he had not imagined before.
Looking back, John realized that his disappointment from the initial job rejection had actually pushed him to broaden his search and find an even better opportunity. He was grateful for the experience and the lessons it had taught him.
In the end, John learned that sometimes things don’t work out as planned, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a better opportunity waiting just around the corner. It’s important to stay positive, keep an open mind, and be willing to take risks and explore new paths.
